sassa Posted May 17 Report Share Posted May 17 Belgium to Send General Franks Iraq Lawsuit to USSat May 17,10:38 AM ET BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium's Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said on Saturday he would send a war crimes lawsuit filed in Belgium against the commander of U.S.-led forces in Iraq to the United States next week. The lawsuit was filed earlier this week by 19 Iraqis against U.S. General Tommy Franks and a U.S. Marine colonel over the use of cluster bombs and alleged U.S. attacks on ambulances and civilians during the war in Iraq. Speaking a day before the country's federal election, Verhofstadt called the lawsuit an abuse of a controversial law that allows Belgian courts to try foreigners for war crimes and other human rights violations. "The law leaves open the possibility of sending back the complaint to the United States and that is what I...aim to do," he said in an interview with local VTM television. "Next week, I will call for a cabinet meeting and...undo this abuse." Sending the lawsuit to the United States would be seen helping ease tensions between Brussels and Washington after Belgium opposed the war in Iraq and obstructed NATO efforts to boost Turkish defenses ahead of the war. On Friday, the federal prosecutor's office said the prosecutor who received the lawsuit would likely recommend sending it to the United States. A recent reform of the law allows Belgium to send a lawsuit to the defendant's country if that country has a legal system that guarantees to handle a complaint properly. The reform was made to stem a flood of complaints against political figures clogging up Belgium's courts. The highest profile case has been one against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, holding him responsible for the 1982 massacre by Israeli-backed Lebanese Christian militiamen in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut. A more recent lawsuit against former U.S. George Bush senior and Secretary of State Colin Powell for a missile attack on a Baghdad shelter that killed 400 people in the 1991 Gulf War has also strained relations between Belgium and the United States. Despite Sunday's election, Verhofstadt remains leader of the caretaker government until a new one is formed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 17 Author Report Share Posted May 17 isn't this why the US refuses to ratify the ICC? because every president in the past 50 years in office would be held accountable for major war crimes.... all the messes they have created in the world...such a shame, it really displays arrogance as well...panama, somalia, vietnam, afghanistan, guatemala, el salvador, philippines........it obviously shows a lack of courage and respect for the world community when a state cannot approve of an institution that would be judging people for the crimes that the US itself denounces in its enemies and chooses to obliterate. apparently the US is turning a blind eye to this aspect of global relations. either the people in government really and honestly do not give a shit about anyone but themselves, or someone else is pulling the strings to everything and they are a smoke screen for something more dangerous and cunning than we can ever hope to know much about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycmuzik Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 What shame has the US exactly caused in Somalia?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 18 Author Report Share Posted May 18 Originally posted by nycmuzik What shame has the US exactly caused in Somalia?? did they really have a good reason for entering...look what happened when they did. they obviously were not welcome there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycmuzik Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Well there was a famine...The UN went into help but they were getting killed by the local militia....So US Forces were called in to capture Aidid....What they did in there was a success by all means....Unfortunetly, the administration at the time had a soft stomach and pulled our soldiers out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 18 Author Report Share Posted May 18 Originally posted by nycmuzik Well there was a famine...The UN went into help but they were getting killed by the local militia....So US Forces were called in to capture Aidid....What they did in there was a success by all means....Unfortunetly, the administration at the time had a soft stomach and pulled our soldiers out... ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 i think its humorous that someone would sue one of our generals.how about sending some lawsuits to the North Vietnamese? Or the Somalis? Maybe how about to the Israelis and Palestinians?Or perhaps to Saddam if you can find him? interesting how we're the ones getting the finger pointed at us, yet all the extremely hideous war crimes and tortures elsewhere magically seem to disappear when people realize they can fry a bigger fish and get lots of publicity doing it.tell the belgians to stick to making waffles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 18 Author Report Share Posted May 18 Originally posted by cintron i think its humorous that someone would sue one of our generals.how about sending some lawsuits to the North Vietnamese? Or the Somalis? Maybe how about to the Israelis and Palestinians?Or perhaps to Saddam if you can find him? interesting how we're the ones getting the finger pointed at us, yet all the extremely hideous war crimes and tortures elsewhere magically seem to disappear when people realize they can fry a bigger fish and get lots of publicity doing it.tell the belgians to stick to making waffles. come on...all kinds of people are being indicted, regardless of race and stature..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Originally posted by sassa come on...all kinds of people are being indicted, regardless of race and stature..... and isn't that an issue in and of itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 18 Author Report Share Posted May 18 Originally posted by cintron and isn't that an issue in and of itself? how, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 20 Report Share Posted May 20 If I was Franks I would schedule a pay- per view spot where a Belgian Judge presents me with the law suit papers and I would WIPE MY ASS with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 21 Author Report Share Posted May 21 Originally posted by mr mahs If I was Franks I would schedule a pay- per view spot where a Belgian Judge presents me with the law suit papers and I would WIPE MY ASS with it... why am i not surprised, i'm sure you have the manners to do this as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Manners? :laugh: SASSA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 21 Author Report Share Posted May 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Even the people of Belgium think this whole thing is a joke...War crimes :laugh: Where were the belgiums with their subpenas when Sdaam was torturing his citizens huh... That's why this world is a fucked up place no common sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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